Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-08-20

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

All university undergraduate courses should include a period of time spent studying abroad or doing a work placement.

Do you think the advantages of this would outweigh the disadvantages?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Student answer (Band 5.5)

In my opinion, yes ofcourse, all university undergraduate courses should must include a specific time period used for studying abroad or doing an internship related to that course. Because that execellent step has many advantades for students and for their academic life as well as practical life.

First of all, if the university includes a period of time for its students as break, so it will have a very good affects on their health. They feel free from the burden of studies ans lectures for a shorty period of time. It would have a very pleasant affect on their mental and physical health as well. Every human needs a break from his busy and difficult routine, that's why it's neccesary for students to have a break from their busy schedule.

But in this time period, students should need to utilize themselves in availing good career opportunities related to their courses that can make their future bright or can help them for their good future. Student can do different internships or jobs in this time break. That type of internships related to our degree are very helpful for us. Internships and jobs boosts student's confidence level. It also helps us to be more professional in our degree.

For example, a student who enrolled in AI or CS decipline, he should must need to be aware of all the programming languages, machine learning, databases and all other key concepts related to CS and AI field both thoeratically and professionally. So for that purpose its necessary for CS and AI student to do Different internships related to his field. It will help him alot in his perfessional life.

At the end, I would say that the university should must include a semester break for its students in which they can relax or rest, improve their health and get rid of stress. Moreover, they can find different internships to get experience in the field related to their degree. It also improves student's confidence and help him to become successful in his life.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses the prompt by arguing that undergraduate courses should include time for internships or study abroad. However, the development of ideas is inconsistent. The essay frequently conflates the concept of 'studying abroad or work placements' with a simple 'semester break' for relaxation. This misinterpretation of the prompt limits the depth of the argument. While the student provides an example regarding AI and CS students, the overall focus remains somewhat superficial, focusing more on 'taking a break' rather than the specific academic or professional benefits of international study or structured work placements. To improve, ensure the core requirements of the prompt are addressed directly and consistently throughout the essay.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the progression of ideas. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or repetitive, such as the frequent use of 'First of all' and 'At the end'. Some transitions between sentences are abrupt, and the logical flow is occasionally hindered by the shift in focus between 'internships' and 'taking a break'. Referencing is sometimes unclear, particularly with the use of pronouns like 'it' or 'that', which occasionally makes it difficult to identify the specific antecedent. Improving the variety and precision of linking words would enhance the overall flow.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision and range required for higher bands. There is a reliance on basic, repetitive language (e.g., 'good', 'busy', 'difficult'). Some word choices are inaccurate or non-standard, such as 'shorty period' instead of 'short period' and 'decipline' (spelling error). While the student attempts to use topic-specific vocabulary like 'internships', 'AI', and 'programming languages', the overall lexical control is limited. To achieve a higher score, the student should focus on using more sophisticated synonyms and ensuring accurate collocation of words.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Common issues include subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'internships and jobs boosts'), incorrect modal usage (e.g., 'should must need to'), and spelling errors (e.g., 'neccesary', 'thoeratically', 'perfessional'). Punctuation is generally functional, but the sentence construction is often clunky. The frequent misuse of 'should must' indicates a lack of control over modal verbs. To improve, the student needs to focus on basic grammatical accuracy and proofreading to eliminate repetitive errors in tense and word form.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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